Sliding hopper discharge outlet closure actuating mechanism



SLIDING HOPPER DISCHARGE OUTLET CLOSURE ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed July28, 1959 G. B. DOREY March 26, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 G60 BY W G. B.DOREY 3,082,706

snows HOPPER DISCHARGE OUTLET CLOSURE ACTUATING MECHANISM March 26, 19635 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1959 INVEN TOR. 060/ aflflor M 659)March 26, 1963 ca. B. DOREY 3,082,706

' SLIDING HOPPER DISCHARGE OUTLET CLOSURE ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed July28, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV EN TOR. George 5. Z 0r@, BY I G. B. DOREY3,082,706

SLIDING HOPPER DISCHARGE oumz'r CLOSURE ACTUATING MECHANISM March 26,1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 28, 1959 IN VEN TOR. 985 Dorefl,

YGeor M e. B. DCREY 3,082,706

SLIDING HOPPER DISCHARGE OUTLET CLOSURE ACTUATING MECHANISM March 26,1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 28, 1959 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,082,706 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 3,082,706SLIDING HOPPER DIECHARGE OUTLET CLOSURE ACTUATING MECHANISM George B.Dorey, Westmount, Quebec, Canada, assignmto Enterprise Railway EquipmentCompany, Chicago,

11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 28, 1959, Ser. No. 830,073 6Claims. (Cl. 105-282) This invention relates to an improved type ofdischarge outlet for a railway hopper car and has particular referenceto that type of outlet having an opening for the discharge of lading anda sliding gate for closing the opening.

The invention is particularly concerned with the means for operating asliding gate and in the provision of improved means for retaining theoperating mechanism in securely closed and sealed position.

The objects of the invention, among others, are: To provide multiplelinkage mechanism operable by rotation of a shaft for moving the gate ineither direction of movement; to provide rotatable shafting carried bythe gate and a supporting frame respectively with arms rigidly mountedon each of the shafts and pivotally connecting said arms with link meansextending between the arms of the respective shafts; to provide improvedmounting bracket means for receiving a combination holding and sealingbolt; and to provide an improved structure wherein supporting ledges fora sliding gate are sandwiched b tween upper and lower sloping floorsections to provide for supporting said gate at a midway level.

For further comprehension of the invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein the improvement is shown as applied to arailway hopper car.

In said drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the lower portion of a hopper carshowing as much of the car as necessary to show the application of theimproved outlet to the car structure.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical end elevational view of the structure shown inFIGURE 1 as viewed from left to right.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of FIGURE 1 with the hopper walls and carstructure eliminated and certain parts broken away to better illustratethe construction, the gate being shown in closed position.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse vertical section taken through the hopperoutlet on a line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on a line 5-5of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 5 except that the outletgate is shown in fully opened position.

FIGURE 7 is another sectional view similar to FIG- URES 5 and 6 exceptthat the gate is shown in partially open position with the operatedshaft and its associated arms shown in arrested relation to the gate andshowing in conventional dot and dash lines the position of the linkageupon further movement thereof with the operated shaft in arrestedposition.

FIGURE 8 is another longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGURES 5, 6and 7 except that the gate is shown with the operated shaft in arrestedposition and the operating arms and linkage in overcenter toggle lockedposition.

FIGURE 9 is still another vertical longitudinal sectional view similarto FIGURES 5 to 7 inclusive except that the mechanism is shown aspositioned when the gate moves freely in a closing direction which isalso the position of the linkage during the early stage of the openingmovement.

FIGURE 10 is a fractional vertical longitudinal view showing the end ofthe outer rail extension without the operating shaft and illustratingthe method of threading the locking bolt in place prior to the assemblyof the shaft in the structure.

FIGURE 11 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 10with the locking bolt eliminated.

In said drawings the car structure proper is indicated by a center silli0 and a load containing hopper 12 is disposed adjacent said center silland between it and a side Wall of the car (not shown). The hoppers aregenerally arranged in pairs in transversely aligned relation on oppositesides of the center sill 10 but, as each hopper is of similarconstruction, the description herein will be confined to only one ofsuch hoppers.

The hopper 12 includes inner and outer side walls indicated at 13 and 14which meet with oppositely sloping walls 15 and 16 to form a four-sidedload containing hopper.

The lower marginal edges of the walls 13, i4, 15 and 16 are spaced apartto define a discharge area 17. Surrounding the lower portion of thehopper is a framing structure 18 which includes walls having sections19, 20, 21 and 22 disposed to overlie the walls 13, 14, I5 and I6 of thehopper 12. The walls 19, 20 and 21 are extended downwardly as at 23, 24and 25 for attachment thereto of rail members 26, 27 and 23 which inturn underlie a sliding gate 29 when in closed position.

The frame structure 18 is extended for an appreciable distance below thelevel of the gate 29 to form a chutelike enclosure 30 for confining theflow of lading to a restricted opening 31.

The enclosure 30 is formed in part by extending the wall 23 verticallydownwardly, as shown in FIGURE 4, and providing inwardly inclined walls32, 33 and 34. The walls 32 and 33 lead downwardly from a locationadjacent the upper surfaces of rail members 28 and 27, respectively, andthe member 34, which extends transversely between inclined wall 33 andwall 23, is flanged at its upper margin as at 35 to underlie the gate29. The flange 34 is spaced from the marginal edge 36 of the upper wall22 to provide a slotted opening 37 through which the trailing end of thegate 29 extends.

The arrangement providing indents for receiving the gate 29 midway ofthe frame sloping walls is effectively carried out by sandwiching therail members 27 and 28 between the depending wall portions 24 and 25 ofthe upper sloping floor sections 20 and 21 and the upper margins of thesloping walls 33 and 32, respectively, of the chute 30.

Extension rails or runways 38 and 39 are provided for supporting thegate 29 in open position. One of the extension rails 38 is secured tothe wall 23 and the other extension rail 39 is secured to the oppositelyfacing wall 24-. The rail members 38 and 39 are preferably of channelshape with upper and lower flanges as indicated at 40 and 41. The upperflanges 40 extend inwardly in such manner that they form runway surfacesor supports for the gate 29 on which it is slidable.

At the outer ends of the extension rails 38 and 39 there are providedbearings 42-42 in which an operating shaft 43 is journ-aled for movingthe gate 29 by a rotational movement of the shaft 43. Non-rotatablymounted on the shaft 43 are arms 44-44 which are disposed in alignmentwith arms 45-45 non-rotatably mounted on an operating shaft 46 which inturn is journaled in bearings 47-47 carried by the gate 29 at itstrailing end. The arms 44-44 and 45-45 of the respective shafts 43 and46 are interconnected by elongated links 48-48 by means of pivots 49-49and 50-50. The linkages 48-48 preferably consist of pairs of plates51-51 spaced apart to straddle the respective arms 44-44 and 45-45. Theplates 51-51 are transversely united adjacent each pivotal connection bytie plates 52-52.

The gate 29 is preferably flanged upwardly to present an inclined wall53 at its trailing edge and to this wall are secured the bearing members47-47 by welding or other suitable means. The outer edge of each bearingmember 47 provides a stop shoulder 56 to engage with an abutment 57formed on each arm 45 to limit swinging movement of the operated shaft46 in relation to the gate 29 for a purpose that will be pointed outhereinafter.

The arms 44-44 and 45-45 of the respective shafts 43 and 46 incombination with the intermediate linkages 48-48, when in extendedposition, constitute an overcenter toggle locked strut between theoperating shaft 43 and the gate 29 by reason of the axes of pivots 49-49and 50-50 being slightly below a line 58 extending through the pivotalaxes of shafts 43 and 46 as best seen by reference to FIGURE 5. As hereshown, the overcenter movement of the linkages 48-48 is limited bybearing contact between the under sides of the tie plates 5252 and thebody portions of arms 44-44 and 45-45 and further by bearing contactbetween the under sides of the plates 51-51 and the upper surface of aflange 59 of an angle shaped tie member 60 which extends transverselybetween the rail extensions 38 and 39 and is welded thereto at its ends.

Rotation of the shaft 43 is effected through the medium of an operatinghead 62 which is non-rotatably associated therewith. It includes aseries of openings 63 for receiving a removable operating bar 64 asshown in FIG- URE 1. The shaft 43 is preferably of non-circular shapeand, to provide a circularly shaped journal bearing, the inner end ofthe operating head 62 is provided with a circularly shaped hub portion65 which fits into the adjacent bearing 42. Similarly the opposite endof the operating shaft 43 is fitted with a circularly shaped sleevemember 66 which fits into its bearing 42. The arms 44-44 are extensionsof hubs 67-67 Which fit over the square operating shaft 43 and are heldagainst axial outward movement by the ends of hub portion 65 and sleevemember 66 and against inward movement by a tubular member 68 which iswelded to the respective hub portions 67-67 so that they function as aunitary structure together with arms 44-44.

The movement of the gate 29 in an opening direction, as will beunderstood, is effected by winding the linkages 48-48 around the hubs 67to assume the folded position shown in FIGURE 6. The closing operationof the gate 29 is effected by rotation of the operating shaft 43 in theopposite direction. In order to efficiently effect the closing of thegate 29 it is desirable that the linkages 48-48 remain in the enfoldedstate around the operating shaft 43 until such time as the pivotalconnections 49-49 attain their maximum lifting position as seen inFIGURE 7 with the upward movement thereof limited by reason of thecontact between stop shoulders 56 and a'butments 57.

The retention of the linkages 48-48 in the enfolded state is effected byproviding transverse circularly shaped segmental bearing sections 69-69on the plates 51-51 and, during partial rotation of the operating shaft43, retaining the outer peripheries 70 thereof in engagement withseating faces of plates 71-71 and 72-72 extending horizontally andvertically at the outer ends of the extension rails 38 and 39 as seen inFIGURE Q.

The segmental bearing sections 69 extend laterally from the outer plate51 of each linkage 48. They are adapted to have bearing contact with theplates 71 and 72 which in turn are welded to the bearings 42-42. Sincethe plates 71-71 are horizontally disposed and the plates 72-72 arevertically disposed, they provide control for slightly more than 90 ofshaft rotation with the linkages 48-48 in the .enfolded state. Becausethe operated shaft 46 reaches the arrested position in the course of theopening movement of the gate 29, as seen in FIGURE 7, it will beunderstood that the arms 45-45 may be considered as rigid rearwardextensions of the gate 29. Thus further continued movement of the gate29 in the closing direction may be effected by angular opening movementbetween the linkages 48-48 and the arms 44-44 now permitted by reason ofthe linkages 48-48 having been released from its enfolded state, all asindicated by conventional dot and dash lines in FIGURE 7.

Should there be an appreciable resistance to the closing movement of thegate 29, the operated shaft 46 and its associated linkages 48-48 willremain in the arrested position as shown by conventional dot and dashlines in FIGURE 7, until such time as the linkages 48-48 and arms 45-45have attained the overcenter toggle locked position as seen in FIGURE 8.Upon continued rotation of the operating shaft 43 in the closingdirection, linkages 48-48 and arms 45-45 will function as rigid armspivoting about pivots 49-49 to open the angle between linkages 48-48 andarms 44-44 until the operating mechanism finally assumes the overcentertoggle locked position as seen in FIGURE 5. With a freely movable gate29 the linkages 48-48 and arms 45-45 actually assume the position shownin FIGURE 9 during closing movement of the gate 29 as the weight of thearms 45-45 exerts a downward thrust.

Rotation of the operating shaft 43 in a gate opening direction islimited by engagement between the arms 44 and the edge 74 of the upperflange 59 of the tie member 60 as seen in FIGURE 6. Rotation of theoperating shaft 43 to open or close the gate 29 causes a correspondingrotation of the arms 44-44 with the axis through the pivots 49-49 to thelinkages 48-48 passing through the path of movement of the gate 29 aswill be apparent from a consideration of FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 of thedrawings.

For retaining the operating mechanism in final locking position, asshown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5, with the gate 29 in closed position, thereis provided a sliding bolt 75 which is adapted to extend into a socket76 formed in one of the sides of the operating head 62. The sliding bolt75 is provided with a depending handle 79 having an aperture 80 for thereception of a sealing ribbon 81. The bolt 75 which is axially movablein spaced bearings 82 and 83, actually seats on the upper flanges 84 ofangle shaped brackets 85-85 which are positioned with verticallydisposed flanges 86 in back to back relation with an intervening space87 therebetween to accommodate the handle 79 of the sealing bolt 75. Theflanges 86 are apertured at 88-88 to register with the aperture 80 ofthe handle 79 for receiving the sealing ribbon 81 therethrough.

The arrangement of the sliding bolt 75 and its supporting brackets 85-85and bearings 82 and 83 is such that the bolt 75 can only be insertedprior to the assembly of the operating head 62 and is held in place bythe latter. In order to allow insertion of the bolt 75 the bearing plate83 is formed with a semi-circular aperture 89 open at the lower partthereof, as seen in FIGURE 11, to allow insertion of the sealing bolt 75at a downward angle as seen in FIGURE 10 prior to the assembly of theoperating head 62 on the operating shaft 43. The bolt 75, having beeninserted at an angle as indicated, is then seated on the intermediatebearing surfaces of the flanges 84 to assume its axial operatingposition and is retracted to enter the semi-circular aperture 89 ofbearing plate 82. The handle 79 is positioned to abut the plate 82 whilethe bolt 75 is still held in the bearing plate 83. Axial movement of thesliding bolt 75 is then limited in one direction by the engagementbetween the handle 79 and plate 82. Movement in the opposite directionis limited by the end 90 of the bolt 75 engaging the bottom 91 of thesocket 76 on the operating head 62.

The arrangement of the parts is such that assembly of the structure isreadily effected as follows:

Assuming that the sliding sealing bolt 75 has been applied as abovedescribed and the gate 29 and its associated shafts 45 and 46 andlinkages 48-48 are made up as a sub-assembly, the operating shaft 43 isnow inserted through the bearings 424-2 and threaded through the sleevemember 66 which is held in place by a headless pin 92. The operatinghead 62 is slipped on the' opposite end of the operating shaft 43 withthe hub portion 65 seating in the adjacent bearing 42. The operatinghead 62 is then held against axial movement on the shaft 43 by a smallrivet 93 extending through the head 62 and shaft 43.

It will thus be noted that the entire assembly, or converselydisassembly, of the gate 29 and its associated operating shaft 43 andlocking bolt 75 is readily effected by the removal of one rivet, i.e.,the rivet 93.

The gate 29 is prevented from upward bouncing by means of bracket plates94 which extend under the horizontal flanges 40 of the extension rails38 and 39. Adjacent the lower margin of the hopper chute 30- provisionis made for receiving and holding a removable extension chute commonlyknown as a boot (not shown). This includes grooves located on twoadjacent sides of the frame as seen at 95 and 9-6 and laterallyextending flanges on the other two adjacent sides as seen at 97 and 98.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A discharge outlet assembly comprising, in combination:

(a) a chute-like enclosure defining a discharge opening,

(b) a sliding gate for said opening projecting beyond one side of saidenclosure to provide a portion projecting beyond said one side when saidgate is in closed position,

(a) runways on opposite sides of said enclosure extending toward eachother on which said gate is movable and extending outwardly of said oneside of said enclosure for supporting said gate in open position,

(03) an operating shaft rotatably mounted on said runways adjacent theoutwardly extending distal ends thereof,

(e) a pair of operating arms in spaced relation fixedly mounted on saidoperating shaft,

(1) an operated shaft rotatably mounted on said projecting portion ofsaid gate,

(g) a pair of operated arms fixedly mounted on said :operated shaft inalignment with said arms on said operating shaft,

(h) a pair of linkages pivotally connected at one end to the distal endsof said operating arms respectively and at their other ends to thedistal ends of said operated arms respectively and acting to move saidgate between open and closed positions on rotation of said operatingshaft in the corresponding direction,

(i) the pivot axis between said operating arms and said linkages passingthrough the path of movement of said gate during a portion of itsmovement between open and closed positions, and

(j) means positioned on the distal ends of said runways and cooperatingwith said linkages during the initial closing movement of said gate fromfull open position to convert the rotational movement of said operatingshaft into translatory movement of said gate.

2. A discharge outlet assembly comprising, in combination:

(a) a chute-like enclosure defining a discharge open- (b) a sliding gatefor said opening projecting beyond one side of said enclosure to providea portion projecting beyond said one side when said gate is in closedposition,

(c) runways on opposite sides of said enclosure extending toward eachother on which said gate is movable and extending outwardly of said oneside of said enclosure for supporting said gate in open position,

(d) an operating shaft rotatably mounted on said runways adjacent theoutwardly extending distal ends thereof,

(e) a pair of operating arms in spaced relation fixedly mounted on saidoperating shaft,

(f) an operated shaft rotatably mounted on said projecting portion ofsaid gate,

(g) a pair of operated arms fixedly mounted on said operated shaft inalignment with said arms on said operating shaft,

(h) a pair of linkages pivotally connected at one end to the distal endsof said operating arms respectively and at their other ends to thedistal ends of said operated arms respectively and acting to move saidgate between open and closed positions on rotation of said operatingshaft in the corresponding direction,

(i) the pivot axis between said operating arms and said linkages passingthrough the path of movement of said gate during a portion of itsmovement between open and closed positions,

(j) means positioned on the distal ends of said runways and cooperatingwith said linkages during the initial closing movement of said gate fromfull open position to maintain a predetermined angular relation betweensaid linkages and said operating arms during the initial portion of therotation of said operating shaft in a gate closing direction,

(k) stop means on said operated arms cooperating with said sliding gateto prevent rotation of said operated arms relative to said sliding gateduring a portion of its closing movement, and

(I) stop means at the ends of said linkages cooperating with therespective ends of said operated and operating arms and preventingrelative pivotal movement thereof beyond positions in which said armsassume endwise extensions of said linkages.

3. A discharge outlet assembly comprising, in combination:

(a) a four sided chute-like enclosure defining a discharge opening,

(b) a sliding gate for said opening projecting beyond one of the sidesof said enclosure to provide a portion projecting beyond said one sidewhen said gate is in closed position, 7

(c) runways on opposite sides of said enclosure extending toward eachother on which said gate is movable and extending outwardly of said oneside of said enclosure for supporting said gate in open position,

(d) an operating shaft rotatably mounted on said runways adjacent theoutwardly extending distal ends therof,

(e) a pair of operating arms in spaced relation fixedly mounted on saidoperating shaft,

(f) an operated shaft rotatably mounted on said projecting portion ofsaid gate,

(g) a pair of operated arms fixedly mounted on said operated shaft inalignment with said arms on said operating shaft,

(h) a pair of linkages pivotally connected at one end to the distal endsof said operating arms respectively and at their other ends to thedistal ends of said operated arms respectively and acting to move saidgate between open and closed positions on rotation of said operatingshaft in the corresponding direction,

(i) the pivot axis between said operating arms and said linkages passingthrough the path of movement of said gate during a portion of itsmovement between open and closed positions, and

(j) means positioned on the distal ends of said runways and cooperatingwith said linkages during the initial closing movement of said gate fromfull open position to convert the rotational movement of said operatingshaft into translatory movement of said gate.

4. The invention, as set forth in claim 3, wherein stop means areprovided to limit rotation of the operated shaft in relation to the gateto cause said operated shaft and said operated arms to operate asextensions of said gate after a predetermined extent of rotation of theoperating shaft in a direction to close said gate.

5. The invention, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the linkages arearranged and adapted to fold around the operating shaft on its rotationin the gate opening direction.

6. The invention, as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

(a) a segmental section extends laterally from each linkage and has abearing surface concentrically related to the axis of rotation of theoperating shaft when the linkages are folded therearound, and

(b) means mounted on the distal ends of the runways and cooperating withthe respective segmental section during a partial rotation of saidoperating shaft for holding the linkages in folded relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A DISCHARGE OUTLET ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) ACHUTE-LIKE ENCLOSURE DEFINING A DISCHARGE OPENING, (B) A SLIDING GATEFOR SAID OPENING PROJECTING BEYOND ONE SIDE OF SAID ENCLOSURE TO PROVIDEA PORTION PROJECTING BEYOND SAID ONE SIDE WHEN SAID GATE IS IN CLOSEDPOSITION, (C) RUNWAYS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ENCLOSURE EXTENDINGTOWARD EACH OTHER ON WHICH SAID GATE IS MOVABLE AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLYOF SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID ENCLOSURE FOR SUPPORTING SAID GATE IN OPENPOSITION, (D) AN OPERATING SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID RUNWAYSADJACENT THE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING DISTAL ENDS THEREOF, (E) A PAIR OFOPERATING ARMS IN SPACED RELATION FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID OPERATINGSHAFT, (F) AN OPERATED SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PROJECTINGPORTION OF SAID GATE, (G) A PAIR OF OPERATED ARMS FIXEDLY MOUNTED ONSAID OPERATED SHAFT IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ARMS ON SAID OPERATING SHAFT,(H) A PAIR OF LINKAGES PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE DISTAL ENDSOF SAID OPERATING ARMS RESPECTIVELY AND AT THEIR OTHER ENDS TO THEDISTAL ENDS OF SAID OPERATED ARMS RESPECTIVELY AND ACTING TO MOVE SAIDGATE BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS ON ROTATION OF SAID OPERATINGSHAFT IN THE CORRESPONDING DIRECTION, (I) THE PIVOT AXIS BETWEEN SAIDOPERATING ARMS AND SAID LINKAGES PASSING THROUGH THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OFSAID GATE DURING A PORTION OF ITS MOVEMENT BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSEDPOSITIONS, AND (J) MEANS POSITIONED ON THE DISTAL ENDS OF SAID RUNWAYSAND COOPERATING WITH SAID LINKAGES DURING THE INITIAL CLOSING MOVEMENTOF SAID GATE FROM FULL OPEN POSITION TO CONVERT THE ROTATIONAL MOVEMENTOF SAID OPERATING SHAFT INTO TRANSLATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID GATE.